Miami NGO Assists Families of Venezuelan Migrants Deported on Flight 164

The Multicultural Association of Activists Voice and Expression (AMAVEX), a Miami-based NGO, has stepped in to offer legal and humanitarian assistance to the families of 146 Venezuelan migrants deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on flight 164. The flight landed in Maiquetía, Venezuela, just hours before significant earthquakes struck the region on June 24, leaving many relatives uncertain about the fate of their loved ones.

Helene Villalonga, president of AMAVEX, confirmed the organization's commitment to supporting these families, stating that their decision was prompted by the many unanswered questions surrounding flight 164. The commercial aircraft, chartered by GlobalX, made technical stops in Phoenix, El Paso, and Miami before arriving in Venezuela. According to ICE Flight Monitor data, the flight carried 120 men, 19 women, and seven minors as part of the "Misión Gran Vuelta a la Patria" program.

Amidst the lack of information regarding the deportees, Villalonga stressed the importance of investigating the entire deportation operation, from its origin in the U.S. to the migrants' detention in Venezuelan facilities. She emphasized that the situation cannot solely be viewed through the lens of the subsequent earthquakes. Families of those affected by the deportations have welcomed the intervention of the human rights organization, hoping it will bring their plight to public attention. Daniely Hurtado, widow of Eduardo José Osal Mujica, one of the deported passengers who died during the earthquakes, expressed to El Nuevo Herald the lack of state support, noting, "Since the earthquakes occurred, no one has even told us they are sorry."